Taking Emily back to college a few weeks ago, we passed through a construction zone on Hwy 150, and I saw this sign:
I wasn't prepared for my quilting set-back this week. I was meandering along very nicely, you see, on a Take 5 quilt for some young friends who are getting married next month.
Their household shower was Sunday evening, and I so wanted to get their quilt finished in time for it. But running around with two active boys I wasn't able to get started on the quilting until late in the week.
Things were progressing nicely. My non-stitch-regulated meandering was looking pretty decent (at least for a beginner like myself! LOL) and I was sooo excited! YES! I will have this quilt ready in time for the shower!
But my excitement was premature. After two good lengths of meanders -- a good 1/3 of the quilt finished nicely -- something strange happened to my tension. And worse! I didn't notice 'til I had quilted the whole third pass then rolled the quilt....and there they were.
Nubbies.
Bad tension.
Ugly loose threads.
Yuk!A whole quilt's length of them.
So, time to get re-acquainted with the Un-Sewer (we're old friends, but I hadn't visited in a while! LOL). Time to make adjustments. Time to face an un-inspiring chore and then get re-motivated to finish the project.
Life is full of unexpected things, isn't it! And most are MUCH more tragic than my little quilting difficulties.
I have a dear friend who is dealing with her son's drug addiction.
I have another dear friend who is battling breast cancer.
Yet another close friend must live apart from her husband 3/4ths of the time because he works away from home; there are no jobs in his field anywhere nearby.
My husband is umpteen thousand miles away in Afghanistan on a deployment.
There's a lot of trouble all around me. There were no warning signs for most of it. No "Diversion Ahead" signs posted to let us know that we'd be facing difficulties.
Jesus spent the better part of chapters 14-16 of John's gospel preparing His disciples for difficult days. He starts out chapter 14 with "Don't let your hearts be troubled." And He ends chapter 16 with these words:
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have troubles. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33 NIV)
Not IF you have troubles, but you will have troubles. But "take heart!" He says. The apostle Paul said, "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors though him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8: 37-39 NIV)
I am convinced that I will conquor my little quilting difficulties. I am convinced that I can rest securely in the One who not only knows my troubles, but gives me peace through them all. I am convinced that I am -- and you are! -- loved. I am convinced that when trouble comes, we can face it with Him and His peace.
Isn't peace one of the reasons we quilt, after all?
Blessings!
8 comments:
Hello! Were you at the Joy Center Sunday and I didn't see you? I ask because you just preached my sermon! No, really, the passage from John and Romans were both crucial to the message Sunday. I love it! An affirmation and a return blessing! Thank you Mary Lou!!!
love that sign maybe it needs to be in my sewing room wip closet!
LOL oh yes our little problems are nothing compared to you friends or your with your DH in Afghanistan.
how easy it is to forget to step back and realize our little problem is nothing compared to so many others that have real problems.
great post.
aren't you glad we have quilting to keep us busy, sane and productive!
Kathie
Thank YOU!! We all have to hold to our FAITH and know that God has each of them in his hands!
I hate thos railroad tracks and it takes a little while to pull those out but --good thinkin time---
Love you
OH NO!! I'm sure you will get it all fixed up quickly but am sending you a gentle {{hug}}.
I didn't know your hubby is away fighting for freedom. I would like to forward him a BIG THANK YOU!!
Crispy
I stumbelled upon your blog today and enjoyed it very much. My father used to say horse hockey and horse feathers too. I had forgotten those words and think they are so cute, I may have to start using them myself. Love your applique work. lovely! Lizzie
Your quilt is beautiful. And, yes, life doesn't warn us when there will be diversions - but without them, life just might be pretty dull. Blessings sent your way!
Once again, a beautiful piece of work. I too, wish we could just get a sign to warn us of what is ahead. If so, I would not be where I am today. Baaaahaaaaaa or boooohoooooo. Anyway, God is good! Wishing I was there with you.
Blessings to you, my dear sister in Christ.
I have had this type of tension problem too. Would you be kind enough to tell me how you fixed it? I have a Janome sewing machine.
Mary L.
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